The present invention generally relates to sports and, more particularly, to a device for warming-up and training for racquet sports such as tennis, squash, racquetball, badminton and ping-pong.
"Warming-up" and weight training safely and effectively enhance racquet sport performance. Typically, tennis players warm-up by practicing their strokes--forehand, backhand, service and overhead--before participating in competition. Practice strokes tend to increase blood flow to the necessary muscles in the shoulder and arm therefore increasing freedom of movement and flexibility, while decreasing susceptibility to muscle strain or similar injuries Warming-up is particularly important today with the advent of newer and wider racquets made of stronger materials which provide more power and stiffness. With respect to weight training, development of hand, wrist, forearm and shoulder strength prepares a player to withstand the stresses required of his body during racquet sport competition. The invention described herein, a racquet sport warm-up and weight training device, heightens the beneficial effects just described.
In connection with warming-up and training for athletic events, prior art devices are known which attach weights to a racquet or bat. These devices increase the load or resistance on the active muscle ultimately increasing the strength and flexibility of that muscle. For instance, a player can practice with the weighted device whereby he trains the muscles to endure a heavier load. Upon removing the added weight the player will experience an increase in speed and power. Such devices can also be used for muscle conditioning and development. It is known that repeating a prescribed motion develops muscle coordination and efficiency. Increasing the load on the muscle during such activity further enhances the effects of conditioning the muscle.
In such sports as baseball and golf it has been desirable in the past to use weighted attachments which directly connect to the baseball bat or golf club.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,559 relates to a circular weight attachment known as a "batting doughnut." It is intended to be placed around the circumference of a baseball bat such that when a player repeatedly swings the bat he in turn stretches the muscles in his arms and shoulders while developing strength.
A similar device has been devised for golf clubs as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,239. This patent discloses a weighted device which attaches to the base of a golf club immediately adjacent to the club head. By repeatedly swinging a golf club having this weighted attachment the player stretches and strengthens the particular muscles associated with controlling the golf swing.
In connection with warming-up and weight training for racquet sports several devices have also been developed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,560 to Higdon discloses a tennis racquet weight attachment. It is a flexible sheet of material capable of holding, on its inside surface, an added weight. This device is attached to the top of the head of a tennis racquet by tying it on with a lace or string.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,893 to Evans discloses a tennis racquet weight holder. This device is made of a flexible material, having two inner pockets for added weights. The device can be attached to the throat of the racquet by overlapping the ends of the material which have Velcro, or some other method of attachment at those ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,061 to Stewart discloses a racquet weighting means. This device wraps around the throat of a tennis racquet and secures itself by Velcro or other similar attachment means.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,721 to Faleck et al. discloses a weight and belt assembly. This weighted device secures to the throat of a tennis racquet by passing a flexible belt through the parallel slots of a weighted plate and which is then secured with the use of Velcro or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,285 to Petitti, Jr. discloses a racquet weight system where tubular shaped members are constructed such that they can be attached to a tennis racquet along the side-portions of the head or hitting surface area.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,812 to Mugford et al. discloses a weight device for athletic racquets. This device is made of two sheets separated by an elastic member. Each sheet contains a number of weights which are housed in chambers. This device can be attached to the throat of a tennis racquet and secured with Velcro.
Several problems, however, are associated with the above-identified devices For example, most of the above devices do not concentrate the added weight at the racquet's center of gravity. Typically, for a tennis racquet, the center of gravity is located near the lower portion of the hitting surface (head) of the racquet, where the throat and head meet. In order to develop strength while maintaining the "feel" -- i.e. balance--of the racquet, supplemental weight should be added to the racquet's center of gravity. Only when the weight is added to the racquet's center of gravity does the moment arm to weight ratio remain unchanged. If weight is added to the head of the racquet, above the racquet's center of gravity, the moment arm to weight ratio increases and the racquet feels "head heavy". If weight is added to the throat of the racquet, below the racquet's center of gravity, the moment arm to weight ratio decreases and the racquet feels "handle heavy". Thus, to maintain the proper balance while developing hitting strength, supplemental weight should be added at the racquet's center of gravity.
The devices described above concentrate supplemental weight on either the racquet's head or throat thus disturbing the balance of the racquet. Training with these devices will improperly train the muscles in the arm to respond to a different moment arm to weight distribution. This can result in faulty timing and even change a player's stroke, which ultimately can lead to arm injuries like "tennis elbow".
Most of the above-mentioned devices are fastened onto the racquet by methods which could fail of their intended purpose. This is especially true of those devices which utilize "Velcro" which becomes less effective over time. If such fastening means fail while a player is swinging the racquet the weighted device will become a projectile capable of inflicting serious injury to person or property.
Some of the above mentioned devices are connected to the throat area of the racquet without means for preventing them from slipping down the throat onto the handle of the racquet or onto the hand of the person holding the racquet. This creates a potentially injurious circumstance to the party swinging the racquet whose hand would encounter the fall of the weighted device.
A further problem with some of the above-mentioned devices is that today's tennis racquets come in a variety of different sizes, shapes and widths. Some of the devices described above cannot adapt to fit a wide range of racquet sizes. Rather, such devices appear to be limited to smaller sized frames such as the traditional sized racquet popular many years ago but rarely used today.
Despite the existence of these racquet weighting devices, a tennis player today typically warms-up by holding and swinging two or more racquets at the same time. Although, holding more than one racquet increases the weight in the player's hand, thereby improving the warm-up and training results, it is cumbersome thereby presenting a potentially dangerous situation to person or property if the player loses his grip on one or both of the racquets.
For the above reasons, it would be particularly advantageous to develop a racquet warm-up and weight training device that concentrates supplemental weight at the racquet's center of gravity, while being securely fastened to the racquet without the possibility of releasing from the racquet frame or sliding down the racquet's throat onto the player's hand, and which is capable of fitting any and all sizes, widths and shapes of racquets. Furthermore, such a device should be weight adjustable so it can be used by players of all capabilities and strengths. It should also be compatible with the composition of all types of racquets so as not to injure the surface of the racquet. When used in conjunction with a player's training, such a device should enhance warm-ups, increase blood circulation, improve flexibility, develop muscle, lessen the incidence of injury, increase racquet speed and hitting power, and heighten racquet control.